Improvement in devices for detaching horses



`IUNES.

E. P. Devices for Detachng Horses;

Patented Dec. 9,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD P. JONES, OF SELL MOUND, MISSISSIPPI.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FVOR DETACHING HORSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,426, dated December 9, 1873 application filed May 2S, 1873. A

Figure 1 is a top-plan view. Fig. 2 is an edge view. Figs. 3 and 4 are side and edge views of the headed guards. modification of the lever-arms.

My present invention is an improvement on the whiffletree embraced in and covered by Letters Patent issued to me on November 9, 1869, and numbered 97,7 03, and in which the cockeyes of the trace are fastened, through pivoted spring-levers, in connection with thehooks formed on the end of the whifdetree. Then the fastening is effected, the levers are held in position, with their bearingarms in contact with the hooks of the whiffletree, by means of in clined stops or projections on the upper face of said whiflietree.

ln the device shown in the patent, in order to avoid all danger through a violent sudden `jerk or otherwise of the lever being bent or so pulled out of shape as to cause it no longer to engage with or to be retained by the stop, the

Fig. 5 shows a strap which elevates the lever so as to release the cockeye is not attached directly to the lever, but passes under the lever, and is fastened in rectangular eyes formed on the rear edge of the whiffletree; and, besides, in the device as patented, the levers are prevented, in fastening, from being thrown or drawn beyond a given'point or line of bearing by means of strips or bands secured to the whifdetree, and which inclose the heads of the lever.

The object of my present improvement is to do away with the bearing-eyes for the strap,

and secure the latter directly to the levers,

and also to do away with the socket strips or bands at the ends of the whiiiietree. To accomplish this (and herein lies my present invention) I form the whiflietree with anged and headed guards, under which work and act the bearing-points at the ends of the levers. This elbow-shaped guard prevents the lever being elevated beyond a certain line, or pushed forward beyond a certain point of bearing, and which arrangement is neater, and in every respect far simpler, than the devices in my former patent, and which the elbow-shaped guard renders unnecessary and no longer desirable.

The construction and operation of my invention are as follows:

A is the whiiiietree-bar, having hooked ends a a, which may be formed of any suitable nieta-l, and plated or nished in any other desired style. On the upper face of the bar A are two inclined stops or projections, B B,

and which, at their front section, terminate in straight or vertical heads or bearings b'b. These devices are all substantially similar to the devices described in my former patent. 0n the whiffletree-bar A, and arranged at suitable positions thereon, are two elbow-shaped guards, C C, and which are of a hollow socket form, having a horizontal flange-bearing, C', and a closed head or vertical bearing, c, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. D D are two spring-levers, and are of the form shown in either Figs. l or 5, the latter being a modiiication of the former, and in which the lever projects from or near the center of its head E, instead of from the upp'er section thereof, as shown in Fig. l, and which is, in this respect, similar to the springlever shown in my former patent. The head E of the lever D is .formed 'with a bearing-arm, e, and which, when the .spring-levers are fastened, in connection with the outer front edge 'c' of the lever and the hook a of the whifiietree, forms a closed rectangular loop or bearing, in which the cockeye is secured and held. These spring-levers D 1) are formed with eyes D D', in which the ends of the releasing-strap F are secured, as shown in Fig. l, and terminate in bearing heads or iianges d d. These levers D D are of such length,- and are relatively so arranged in connection with the guards C C, tha-t, in fastening, the heads or flanges d d shall enter and travel under the face C of the gua-rd.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improvement will be readily understood. The spring-levers D D are in the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. l. The cockeyes of the traces are now passed over the bearing-arms e e of the levers, and they are, either by hand or a forward pull on the strap F, passed over the inclined surfaces ot' the stops or projections B B until the straight vertical edges b b of the same are reached, when the elasticity of the levers causes them to fall and automatically fasten against the vertical bearings of the stops, in which position they are securely held, and the flanges d d, butting against the surfaces c c of the guards, render it impossible for the levers to be drawn forward beyond this line of bearing; and which is a great advantage, for, no matter how careless the operator may be, it is impossible to throT the arm e of the lever against the arm of the hook a of the whiflletree with such force as to break or injure it, and which would not be the ease were it not for the arrangement of lever and guard hereinbefore referred to. The strap F is now passed over the dash-board and secured, or otherwise so fastened as to be within the reach of the driver.

In case of accident, or when you desire to unhook the traces for any other cause, you

, simply have to pull on the strap F, which will elevate the levers, the flanges C C of the guard only permitting them to be drawn to a point a little above the upper section of the vertical faces b b of the stops. But so soon as the levers are free of their bearings on said stops, the spring-,pressure of the arms of the hooks a a will force the levers back over the head of the stops, and, being thus released, the slightest forward movement of the-animal will so draw out the bearing-arms e e as to release the traces. And thus a secure fastening is provided, and yet one that on the instant can be unhooked, and which, no matter how roughly or violently used, renders it impossible that the lever should be so bent as to affect its perfect working, or so driven against the hook of the whifiletree as to endanger its breaking or of its otherwise being injured.

'Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The whitlletree-bar A, projections or cleats B B, guards C C, and levers D D, the whole combined and arranged to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this speeiication in the presence ot' two subscribing' witnesses.

EDXVD. l?. JONES.

YVitnesses: 1

EDWIN (Timms, Jos. T. K. PLANT. 

